Vendor-managed inventory system and method

Abstract

A vendor-managed inventory system includes a VMI hub system ( 10 ), a buyer system ( 20 ), a plurality of vendor systems ( 30 ) and an external network ( 40 ) interconnecting all these systems. The VMI hub system stores and manages materials for the buyer system and the vendor systems, which can significantly reduce inventory control costs for the systems at the same time. The VMI hub system has a hub server ( 100 ) including a current period inventory setting module ( 1000 ), a material requirements information management module ( 1002 ), an inventory information processing module ( 1004 ), an alert signal generating module ( 1006 ), a delivery information management module ( 1008 ), and an inventory information updating module ( 1010 ). A related vendor-managed inventory method is also disclosed in the present invention.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vendor-managed inventory (VMI) system for providing vendor-managed inventory services over an electronic communications network, the system comprising a VMI hub system, a buyer system, a plurality of vendor systems and an external network which interconnects all these systems, wherein the VMI hub system comprises a hub server, the hub server comprising: 
 a current period inventory setting module provided for calculating minimum inventory thresholds and maximum inventory thresholds of different materials for various periods, and setting current period inventory thresholds for various materials;    an inventory information processing module provided for comparing a current stock of a material and its current period inventory thresholds, and determining if the current stock of the material has fallen below a minimum inventory threshold or exceeded a maximum inventory threshold;    an alert signal generating module provided for generating a first alert signal when the current stock of the material has fallen below the minimum inventory threshold, or generating a second alert signal when the current stock of the material has exceeded the maximum inventory threshold; and    a delivery information management module provided for generating a material replenishment record according to the first alert signal, or generating a notice according to the second alert signal.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the delivery information management module is further provided for generating a delivery record after the VMI hub system receives the material delivered by a corresponding vendor system.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hub server further comprises a material requirements information management module provided for receiving material requirements information from the buyer system, and generating material extraction records when the VMI hub system extracts required materials from its warehouse to supply the buyer system.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hub server further comprises an inventory information updating module provided for updating the current stock record of the material according to the material extraction record and the delivery record.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the VMI hub system further comprises a hub database for storing records used or generated by the VMI hub system.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein said stored records include current stock records for various materials, records on minimum inventory thresholds and maximum inventory thresholds of different materials for various periods, material requirements information, material extraction records, and material replenishment records.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the VMI hub system further comprises a plurality of hub workstations, each providing an interactive user interface for users of the VMI hub system to perform inventory management operations.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the VMI hub system further comprises a plurality of hub warehouses provided for storing materials delivered by the vendor systems in order to timely supply the buyer system with required materials.  
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the minimum inventory thresholds and maximum inventory thresholds of different materials for various periods are calculated according to production planning information obtained from the buyer system, and according to business rules adopted by the VMI hub system.  
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the buyer system comprises a buyer server provided for transmitting production planning information and material requirements information to the VMI hub system.  
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the vendor systems comprises a vendor server provided for receiving the material replenishment record and the notice sent from the VMI hub system.  
     
     
         12 . A computer-based vendor-managed inventory method, comprising the steps of: 
 updating inventory information of a material;    determining whether a current stock of the material has fallen below a minimum inventory threshold; and    if the current stock of the material has fallen below the minimum inventory threshold:    generating a first alert signal;    generating a material replenishment record, and sending the material replenishment record to a corresponding vendor system; and    receiving the material delivered by the vendor system, and generating a delivery record.    
     
     
         13 . A computer-based vendor-managed inventory method, comprising the steps of: 
 updating inventory information of a material;    determining whether a current stock of the material has fallen below a minimum inventory threshold; and    if the current stock of the material has not fallen below the minimum inventory threshold:    determining whether the current stock of the material has exceeded a maximum inventory threshold; and    if the current stock of the material has exceeded the maximum inventory threshold:    generating a second alert signal; and    generating a notice transferred to a corresponding vendor system in order to notify the vendor not to deliver the material for a current period.    
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving production planning information from a buyer system;    calculating minimum inventory thresholds and maximum inventory thresholds of different materials for various periods according to the production planning information and business rules; and    setting a minimum inventory threshold and a maximum inventory threshold for each material for a current period.    
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of updating the current stock record of the material according to the delivery record.